Humidification unit



Jan. 28, 958 P. c. MILLER, JR 2,821,449

HUMIDIFICATION UNIT Filed Nov. 25. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l :ELE-...L d

A IN V EN TOR. BY PAM/z C..M/1.w

P. c. MILLER, JR

HUMIDIFICATION UNIT Jan. gs, 195s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1954LIE- 3 JNVENTOR.

PAUL C. M/LLER United States Patent HUMrDmcArIoN UNIT Paul CampbellMiller, Jr., Milford, Mich., assignor to Skuttle Manufacturing Company,Milford, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 26, 1954,Serial No. 471,302

4 Claims. (Cl. S12-31.01)

'Ihe present invention relates to humidiiication equipment and moreparticularly to a display cabinet containing hnmidifying apparatus formaintaining controlled atmospheric conditions most suitable for cigarsor other articles of merchandise which are displayed within saidcabinet.

With the advent of self-service stores it has become increasinglyimportant that merchandise be displayed where it is readily accessibleto the customers and still be well preserved. This is especially true ofmerchandise which requires a controlled humidity to assure freshness.One such item which has been seriously affected when displayed in opencabinets is the cigar.

It has been found that cigars, even when well wrapped, may become stalewithin one day if the surrounding air is relatively dry. When thishappens to a cigar it cannot be reclaimed by the merchant merely byplacing the cigar in a more humid atmosphere. Hence, it is imperativethat the merchant keep his cagars in a cabinet or similar containerwhere the air is properly humidied in order to avoid serious losses.

Various efforts have been made to provide proper humidication for adisplay cabinet for cigars, but such efforts have proved to beunsuccessful. In most instances the air in the cabinet has not had auniform humidity. Electric fans have been used for circulating the airin an effort to overcome this shortcoming, but to no avail.

Such fans have been found in many instances to increase the humidicationproblem rather than to solve it.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide animproved humidifcation unit which is constructed and arranged so thatcigars or other merchandise can be displayed in air having apredetermined uniform humidity while at the same time allowing suchmerchandise to be readily available to purchasers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedhumidilication unit of the foregoing character which includes humidifierapparatus which is simple and economical to produce and will assure auniform humidication of the air surrounding the merchandise within thedisplay cabinet.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide animproved humidication unit of the foregoing character which has a simpleand economical alarm system for indicating when there is a shortage ofwater in the humidier apparatus.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide animproved humidication unit which includesa cabinet having an open top toprovide access to the 1nterior, said cabinet being constructed andarranged 'to prevent unnecessary circulation of air therein and to1nclude air passages whereby humidied air can flow by convection pastthe merchandise stored therein thereby assuring a constant and uniformhurnidication of said merchandise.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide ahumidifier unit for use in the cabinet described above, said humidifierunit having an evaporator pan mounted adjacent the aforesaid airpassages, the evaporator pan being formed from corrosive resistantmaterials, such as a polyester resinfiberglas reinforced material sothat suitable salts can be added to the water there-- in so that theformation of plant or animal life can be prevented, thereby avoidingdisagreeable odors which might have a deleterious effect on suchmerchandise.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an humidication unit embodying thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing details of thehumidifier apparatus used in the dis closed embodiment; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of the alarm circuits that may beemployed in the present invention.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawings, a more detailed description of theinvention will be given. The humidication unit 10 includes a cabinet 12formed of any suitable material having an attractive appearance fordisplay pur poses. The illustrated embodiment is formed from sheetlmetal. It has a base 14, side walls 16 and 18, a frontwall 20 and a rearwall 22. Extending over a portion of the interior of the cabinet 12 is atop wall 24. Conventional doors, as seen at 26 and 28, are provided inthe front and rear walls. The front wall 20 has its upper portion 30formed of glass so that the merchandise within the cabinet 12 is morereadily visible to prospective purchasers.

Extending longitudinally of the cabinet 12 are a plurality of shelves32, 34 and 36, which if desired may have upturned edges for assisting inretaining in place the displayed merchandise. Positioned adjacent theshelves in spaced relation are longitudinally extending partitions 38,40 and 42 whose purpose will be described hereinafter. A storage shelf43 also may be provided within the cabinet 12, if desired.

Suspended below the shelves 32, 34 and 36 by metal straps 44 are traysor pans 46, 48 and 50 which are adapted for carrying water forhumidilication purposes.

The pans are spaced from the shelves so that air passages as at 52 and54 are provided from the surface of the water 56 to regions above theshelves. The pans can be formed from any suitable material, but it ispreferred that they be made from polyester resin reinforced with berglasfor reasons to be explained.

Under normal operating conditions the water 56 will i evaporate from thepans 46, 48 and 50 and will have to be replenished. In order that thiswill be done promptly when the level of the water approaches a dangerpoint,

an alarm system is provided. Referring to Figures 3 58 preferably formedfrom a suitable plastic material. ,y

The cup 58 has a lug 60 on its lower edge so that when the water in thepan falls below a desired level the lug 60 will Contact the bottom ofpan 50 and thereafter will.)

Patented Jan. 28, 1958- 3 tilt to the position shown in `phantom at l62.A small arm or handle 64 projects rearwardly from the upper lip of cup58 and carried thereon is ,a mercury switch 66 which is'secured in placeon v*the handle 64 by thebaud 68. Thus, when cup 58 pivots on the lug60,the mercury switch 66 will tilt closing the-electric contacts therein.

One terminal of mercury switch166isin series with .an electric lamp 68by conductor 70 and lamp 68 is then connected by conductor 72 to a' stepdown transformer 74. The other terminal of mercury switch 66 isconnected to the manually operated switch 76 `by conductor 78 and switch76 is then connected to transformer'74`by conductor 80. Transformer 74allows low voltages :to be used in operating 'the alarm systemwhichisdesirable both from the safety and-economy standpoint.

Each of cups 54 and 56`have a similar electric=circuit `associatedtherewith for energizing the rlamps '.82V or v84 in the event waterfalls below a predetermined level in pans 46 and 48. Such lamps may belocated .anywhere on the cabinet where they will be readily visible toYan attendant. they are located on a small panel 86 visible from thefront of the cabinet 12. Also, included 'on this-panel is the switch 76for closing the electric circuits `to the mercury switches.

vIn normal Voperation switch 76 will be .closedand water willbe in allthe pans 46, 4,8 .andy 50. Cigars .orsother merchandise will bepositioned'on shelves 32,34-and 3.6. With the pans full -of water `thecups 54, 56 and :58 will oat thereby holding the mercury switchesassociated therewith in a horizontal lposition 4so that the circuitstoeach of lamps 82, .84 and k68 will bezopen. Should-'the water in any4pan fall below..a predetermined .'levelr the cup in such pan will itiltclosing .the xcircuit throughfits associated lamp. The attendant can`then vrefllf'such r pan thereby assuring properhumidicationeof themerchandise.

The air movementwithin the cabinet' 12 will result primarily from.natural convection resultingfrorn the humidiiication` process. Asecondary cause of `air movement will'result from local Ydisturbances`of the atmospheric air in the immediate vicinity 'of 'thevdisplayfshelves, but this has been reduced to a minimum in the presentinvention Iby lowering the j'shelves -below the opening in the Acabi-net12"so"f-that the several edges storming such opening, in -eiect,loverlap- 'the shelves.

" It`is AWell 1known 'that a sample yofA air which 'has a1 high humidityvis L'lighter'in IWeight gthan Aanother sample of dry air, thetemperatures 'and' pressures-being the same. vvIn the present inventionthe pans146, #Sand 50extend 'the full length of the cabinet 12 and theair passages JST-and 54 are of equal length. Thus,`the humidair'whi'chexistsover 'the waterSewillriseby convection on .OEpOs'ite sides of eachof shelves'32,"34 and 36 assuringhumidication ofthe' air thereover. AminimumY of disturbance of such air is assured by virtue' ofthepartitions 38,"40 and 42 -as well :as the extended edgesr forming theopening' in thecabinet 12.

'Inmany instancest willbe' desired toad'dsalt to the evaporating pans toeliminate-the 'production of'plant or animal life. For'this reason, it.is Adesirable to make the pans from material :suchas .a polyester resinreinforced with `iiberglas which can be economically produced and willnot be subject -to corrosion.

It may also bey desired .to ,add other well known compounds to the watersolution to regulate the relative humidity of the air above the water."In .this mannerlthe relative humidity between certain l,temperatu11e[limits ,can be closely regulated :and .by virtue fof theconstructionand arrangement of the. pans and .shelves .auniform relativehumidityior prescribed temperature .limits will always be maintained.

"The present invention is found ,to operate in avery In the embodiment.shown in ,the drawingsY free, inexpensive Ihumidifying unit `which canclosely approach the required operating conditions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An humidication unit comprising a display cabinet having a series ofupwardly staggered shelves therein with the lowermost shelf *at Athefront ofthe cabinet, vertical partitions -disposed longitudinallybetweenadjacent shelves in horizontal-spaced relation thereto, saidcabinet having an open top providing access to 4said shelves, said`shelves beingv mounted inward of .the opening so .that the edgesforming said l'opening will substantially prevent circulation of airover nsaid shelves, open pan-type humidiers mounted below each of saidshelves in juxtaposition theretoso `thatJeach-open Apan willbeyincommunication with the spaces-adjacent the shelf with which such pan.is associated, and separatealarms for indicating when water in eachfsaid-pansis :below a .prescribed limit.r

2. An:humi'dication :unit `comprising ardisplay cabinet having anopening through which merchandise displayed therein can beiseen andselected by a purchaser, .a series of shelves mounted adjacentto butIinward vfrom said opening yon-v-/,};tich-such merchandise can :becarried,.said shelves :beingIspacedapart laterally, vertical partitionscarried .between ,saidfshelves providing vertical `ai-r passagesalongithe longitudinal edges of said shelves, open pan-type humidiersmounted below each of said shelves in juxtaposition theretofsov-thateach open pan will 'be in` communication rwith: saidair passages`adjacent the shelffwith which such ,pan .-is. associated, and separatealarms forfzindicating,whenwater in -each of said .-pans is below,alprescribe'd limit. y

3. An humidicationunit comprising .a display 'cabinet having .anopeningth-roughqwhich merchandise displayed therein can be seen andselected by a purchasen-a :series of shelves lmounted adjacent to ibutinward Afrom--aad opening yonwhichsuchzmerchandise can be carriedersaidshelves being,spaceduapartlaterally, .vertical` partitions carriedbetween zsaid shelves ,providing -s,eparate--ventical air passagesalong.the longitudinal edges yof isaidshelves, and ropenpan-typehumidi-iiersv mounted `below each ,of saidshelves in juxtapositionthereto :so that -each open pan will be 5in .communication with-said-.air passages adjacent .the :shelf-.witnwhich such-,pan i-sassociated.

4. An humidilication-.unit `comprising .-adisplay cabinet having anopening .thronghf -which .merchandise .displayed therein can 4be seenandV selected iby a purchaser, a series of shelves mounted adjacent tobut inward ifromigsaid opening on which such merchandise can becarried,Asaid shelves being spaced apartflaterally, vertical partitions carriedbetweenV said-'shelves ,providing'vertical air passages -along rvthelongitudinal `edges y.of said shelves, float controlled 4.pan-typehumidifier-s mounted below each of said shelves insjuxtaposition.thereto-.so `:that `each open pan. will be in communication with-.saidair passages adjacent.` `the-shelf with -Whichz .-such Lpanv isassociated, and separateualarms for indicating:'wheny water in -each ofsaid pans is :belowl a l-prescribed limit, said Valarms comprisingmercury .switches associatedV with float mechanisms of the pan-typehumidifier and electric ,circuits vincluding saidfswitchesand electriclamps so-'that when the water level .n. anypandropsbelow a ,prescribedlevel. the mercury switchwill rtilt, ,closinga circuit to Aenergize ,oneof said electric flamps.

ReferencesCited'in ,the tile-.of this patent 'UNITED 'STATES 'PATENTS720,111 lCastillo Feb. `10, 1903 1,421,717 Renda July` 4, 1922 1,922,147Wales Aug. 1'5, '1933 1,960,428 Adams May .29, '1934 2,477,210 1Skinner' July 26, 1949 2,528,916 'Shreve 'Nov 7, '1950 2,574,242 BrillANov. 6, 1951 2,639,958, `Stephenson May 26, 1953

